ASK THE EXPERTS: IS WATERMELON THE BEST FOOD EVER?

JACOB K. OF LITTLE ROCK, AR, ASKS: Is watermelon the best food ever?

Anyone on our panel of experts could have taken a crack at answering this question, but as someone with a lifetime of eating experience, I’ll give this one a shot.

When I was a kid, I used to think the best foods ever were chocolate syrup and cherry licorice. Thankfully, my culinary tastes have evolved, although only slightly.

Keep in mind that determining the “best food ever” is no small task. There are a number of factors to weigh in making the assessment, including taste, nutritional value, accessibility, cost and, of course, how easy it is to grow or produce the item.

Using these criteria, I began comparing many foods – both traditional and modern – to see if it is possible to answer your question. I started with foods like pizza, bacon and cheeseburgers (or the elusive “pizza bacon cheeseburger”). They all rated extremely high on the taste scale, but had mixed scores when it came to nutritional value, accessibility and some other qualities.

I moved on to traditional staples of the human diet like bread, potatoes, cheese and rice. They, too, ranged up and down in their rankings, preventing them from making a serious run at the number one spot.

Finally, I compared watermelon with other fruits and vegetables. After a trip to the grocery store to sample a selection of produce (don’t worry, I purchased the goodies and ate them at home), I came to a simple conclusion: Yes, watermelon is the best food ever.

Not only does watermelon taste great, it’s also got its fair share of nutritional benefits and it’s pretty easy to grow or find. It even rates high in affordability, as evidenced by its recent number-one ranking on a list of most affordable fruits.

But what really put the watermelon over the top for me was its ability to pull double duty as both a food and a drink. You see, watermelon is comprised of 92 percent water (that explains the name), which makes it a refreshing snack in the absence of a beverage. Have you ever tried drinking a cheeseburger? It can’t be done. And that’s why watermelon, in my hungry opinion, is the best food ever.